Natural Disasters

There are real benefits to being prepared for a Natural Disaster.

Being prepared can reduce fear, anxiety, and losses that accompany disasters. Communities, families, and individuals should know what to seek shelter during a tornado. They should be ready to evacuate their homes and take refuge in public shelters and know how to care for their basic medical needs.

People also can reduce the impact of disasters (flood proofing, elevating a home or moving a home out of harm’s way, and securing items that could shake loose in an earthquake) and sometimes avoid the danger completely. (FEMA)

Are You Ready?

An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness:Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness (IS-22) is FEMA’s most comprehensive source on individual, family, and community preparedness. The guide has been revised, updated, and enhanced in August 2004 to provide the public with the most current and up-to-date disaster preparedness information available.

Is Your School Ready for an Earthquake?

Drill schedule - Special note: As of 2013, all four
emergency response drills (fire, lockdown, severe
weather and earthquake) must be conducted by the first
30 days of the new school year and must be conducted
again in January. Use the following worksheet to plan
drills for your school. Submit a copy of the schedule
with your school’s plan, and use the original to
document drills when they actually occur.

Kentucky Emergency Management and the Kentucky Center for School Safety (KCSS)
worked two Kentucky school teachers to develop a KyEM Earthquake Awareness Educational Program and Earthquake Instructional Unit which targets third through fifth grades. This five hour educational awareness unit is designed to educate both children and adults in our communities.

Earthquake Safety Activities...This updated publication provides elementary school teachers with ready-to-use, hands-on activities that explain what happens during an earthquake, how to prepare for earthquake shaking, and how to stay safe during and after an earthquake. Included are a variety of handouts for students, including maps, songs, “hazard hunt” worksheets, and earthquake safety checklists.

Earthquake...Kentucky Law...Procedure...Duck and Cover:

Triangle of Life ....It is also contrary to Kentucky state law.
Just think about it. In your classroom there is a large TV on an elevated counter. The shaking begins and the TV is not anchored. The TV falls off of the counter. There are desks nearby. Are you safer kneeling next to a desk or under it?
Needless to say, under the desk is safer. In the original Triangle email there is even a photo of a building collapse that shows the floor being held by a desk. The chair area under the desk is clearly the safest place, but the Triangle states you should kneel down next to it where a large amount of debris fell.

Documents link... This includes official responses from local, state and federal agencies outlining why we use duck and cover procedure to follow during earthquakes and explains the "Triangle of Life"

National Disaster Resources

Hurricanes - CDC – Includes information on how
you can prepare before a hurricane, after a
hurricane, and others resources. Many of the
resources about cleaning up, staying healthy, and
avoiding risks after a hurricane are available in
multiple languages.

Youth Preparedness – ready.gov - Starting or
getting involved with a youth preparedness program
is a great way to enhance a community’s resilience
and help develop future generations of prepared
adults. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) offers numerous resources that can help.

Helping Children After a Natural Disaster –
National Association of School Psychologists -
Natural disasters can be especially traumatic for
children and youth. … Immediate response efforts
should emphasize teaching and reinforcing effective
coping strategies, fostering supportive
relationships, and helping children understand their
reactions.

ShakeOut Drill Manual For K-12 Schools (ShakeOut)
– The Earthquake Country Alliance created the
Great California ShakeOut, an earthquake drill
and preparedness activity in which everyone can
participate, which has now spread to many other
states and regions. Although they were created for
ShakeOut drill events across the nation, the
instructions can be used or adapted for earthquake
drills anywhere and anytime. The
following drill guidelines are designed for schools
and each drill uses the general earthquake response
of Drop, Cover, and Hold On (www.dropcoverholdon.org)
as its foundation.

Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Resources for
K-12 Schools – U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) - Links are listed for disaster
preparedness and recovery information for K-12
school that can apply to many different disaster
situations. Disaster Preparedness & Recovery.
Preparedness Tips for School Administrators Federal
Emergency Management Agency Information for school
administrators …